Buying a ZTR, what should I look for, or avoid?

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The most fun I've ever had with less than 500 horsepower.

Funny you should say that.
I delivered a tractor yesterday to a guy who drag races a Miata.
This car has a 427 Dart engine in it. With twin turbos, the car has 2000 hp.
After I told him of my race history, he let me drive it as the car is completely tractable for street use.
The car does 7.52’s in the quarter as it weighs 3250 lbs.
It was very fun to drive and the quickest car I’ve ever been in. Just had to take two Advils after the exercise of crawling in and out of the 12 pt roll bar.
Hmm, zero turn or this car to drive…let me think.

 

[lman]

... and with that bit of humor, I'm out to finish moving the the last of the 24 yards of mulch I had delivered.

Mowing is actually the easy / fun part of the property care package. Weeding gardens and trimming shrubs is the part I hate, so I hire that out after the initial spring cleaning and mulch are done.

I never thought about hiring somebody to weed the garden. I always thought having a garden was a way to save a few bucks on groceries. If you have to pay somebody, you might as well turn the garden into grass and pay more for groceries.

 

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I never thought about hiring somebody to weed the garden. I always thought having a garden was a way to save a few bucks on groceries. If you have to pay somebody, you might as well turn the garden into grass and pay more for groceries.

What can be called a garden is not necessarily composed of vegetables all the time.
If a garden is made up of flowers and ornamentals for the delight of its owner, it is part of a landscape that indeed a landscaper can be hired to address its upkeep.

 

[WinterDeere]

I never thought about hiring somebody to weed the garden. I always thought having a garden was a way to save a few bucks on groceries. If you have to pay somebody, you might as well turn the garden into grass and pay more for groceries.

We don't grow vegetables. They're flower and shrub gardens, cosmetic only. Yes, it's vain, but it makes my wife and guests happy.

Speaking of which, the gardener is actually here today.

 

[WM75Guy]

We don't grow vegetables. They're flower and shrub gardens, cosmetic only. Yes, it's vain, but it makes my wife and guests happy.

Speaking of which, the gardener is actually here today.

I like my Kubota ZD1211. It sips fuel compared to my previous Cub Cadet gas ZTR. Even with the suspension seat it is not the most comfortable in rough ground. I am considering adding an air ride seat that comes with the ZD1611 to make mowing more tolerable.

Making the wife happy is important. After back surgery we started having the lawn around the house and along the road frontage mowed, edged, and the flowerbeds cleaned. I still have it done once a month, I mow in between with the ZTR and my NH 25S. About 3 acres is finished mowed and the rest of the 14 acres I cut with a tractor and rotary cutter. Being retired I have plenty of time to mow.

 

[lman]

We don't grow vegetables. They're flower and shrub gardens, cosmetic only. Yes, it's vain, but it makes my wife and guests happy.

Speaking of which, the gardener is actually here today.

I didn't notice your location. I remember when I was a kid, my sister spent a summer at a church program in Philly and we picked her up. I couldn't understand the language the kids spoke out there. Youse are in a different world. Around here we have yards, gardens to grow food and fields to grow food. Of course I grew up on a grain, hog and beef cattle farm. My parents also grew kids to pull weeds. Never lived in or close to a town so I'm not used to that terminology.

 

[WinterDeere]

I didn't notice your location. I remember when I was a kid, my sister spent a summer at a church program in Philly and we picked her up. I couldn't understand the language the kids spoke out there. Youse are in a different world. Around here we have yards, gardens to grow food and fields to grow food. Of course I grew up on a grain, hog and beef cattle farm. My parents also grew kids to pull weeds. Never lived in or close to a town so I'm not used to that terminology.

Yep... different world. Land of cheesesteaks, soft pretzels, Ben Franklin... and football fans who won't hesitate to beat up Santa.

Although I actually live in the rural 'burbs 30 miles north of the city, my particular neighborhood has no lot smaller than 4 acres, and most are closer to 10 acres. We're still surrounded by many small farms, although they're struggling and dwindling, due to the high cost of land around here.

I would hate to live in the city, or even in town, I like the quite rural setting. But it's nice being close enough to the city to have easy access to a major international airport, concerts, sporting events, good restaurants, all an hour away.

 

[skramer360]

I worked at a hardware store that sold Gravely mowers along with a competent small engine shop. Most of the commercial mowers have good engines on them, and most of the residential mowers have much lower quality engines on them. The commercial Kohler (Command) engines were just as good as the commercial Kawasaki (FX) engines. The residential Kohler (Courage) engines were not as good as the residential Kawasaki (FS) engines.

 

[Duds13]

I worked at a hardware store that sold Gravely mowers along with a competent small engine shop. Most of the commercial mowers have good engines on them, and most of the residential mowers have much lower quality engines on them. The commercial Kohler (Command) engines were just as good as the commercial Kawasaki (FX) engines. The residential Kohler (Courage) engines were not as good as the residential Kawasaki (FS) engines.

I have a pretty old Scag Advantage 36" walk behind with a Kohler Command. Starts on the first pull every time, doesn't burn any oil.

 

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I have a pretty old Scag Advantage 36" walk behind with a Kohler Command. Starts on the first pull every time, doesn't burn any oil.

The 3 foot walk behind mower is going by the way of the dinosaur.
We stopped selling those two years ago.
I don’t even know if anybody makes them anymore with maybe the exception of cub cadet.
If you like yours, best keep it.

 

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I worked at a hardware store that sold Gravely mowers along with a competent small engine shop. Most of the commercial mowers have good engines on them, and most of the residential mowers have much lower quality engines on them. The commercial Kohler (Command) engines were just as good as the commercial Kawasaki (FX) engines. The residential Kohler (Courage) engines were not as good as the residential Kawasaki (FS) engines.

That’s when Kohler made a halfway decent engine.
Now they’re just ceasing to make them altogether.
They best just stick to making toilets, showers and sinks.

 

[Duds13]

The 3 foot walk behind mower is going by the way of the dinosaur.
We stopped selling those two years ago.
I don’t even know if anybody makes them anymore with maybe the exception of cub cadet.
If you like yours, best keep it.

It's a great mower, love it. Excellent cut. I use it on a side hill that I wont take my zero turn on and some other areas around the house. It also comes in handy in the spring in some areas that stay a little softer for a while.

 

[MinnesotaEric]

I like my Ferris with an airseat.

 

[Duds13]

I like my Ferris with an airseat.

I like mine too with no air seat. Gotta be a heck of a ride with an air seat!

 

[Carl_NH]

I like mine too with no air seat. Gotta be a heck of a ride with an air seat!

Indeed - still Ilke my 2010 IS2000 52" with the high back seat

- suspension seat would be like riding on a cloud!

 

[TractorNoob85]

So this is where things get interesting. I linked in my original post to Toro Titan 6605.
Toro Titan 6605 60", 845 lbs.

You linked to Toro Titan 6604.
Toro Titan 6604 60", 761 lbs

The 6604 would be 1000-761=239 lbs (no fuel so 209 lbs with fuel 5 gal x 6 lbs per gallon) That is darned close given the average American male weigh's 199.8 lbs.

FastStats

FastStats is an official application from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) and puts access to topic-specific statistics at your fingertips.

www.cdc.gov

If you put a bagger on it then it will definately be over weight, with most that weight over the rear hydro units.

I would love to know what drives the differences in weight between models. This is why on the latest post I noted that it varies by model within the same company.

Toro defiantly has the largest variation in weight within a model family. I am not sure why.

Idk man. Alot of companies are using the same exact pumps/motors in similar size mowers. It's not like there is major reporting's of hydro failures. Usually, the failures that do occur are being caused by people doing dumb stuff like trying to tow a trailer with their grass steer. Realistically, once you get past the budget/entry homeowner series, it's usually on the up and up. More money, better machine. I don't think I would be scared to rock a Toro Titan even though I'm a Scag guy.

 

[Carl_NH]

Indeed - still Ilke my 2010 IS2000 52" with the high back seatView attachment 3534196 - suspension seat would be like riding on a cloud!

That pic was 2010 - now 15 years and 500 hours later. This Ferris has the Hydro Gear Pumps and separate Parker Wheel Motors, and I installed a hydro oil cooler in 2012. All is good - these are great machines.

 

[MinnesotaEric]

I like mine too with no air seat. Gotta be a heck of a ride with an air seat!

It is.

 

[Alan W.]

We purchased a Husqvarna MZ54 last year. Lowes had one leftover that I got for about $2000 cheaper than a new one. Plus it had a full warranty and a new battery.
The reason I got this model was a friend of mine had the same mower for years and his sons did lawn care after school and summers to earn money. I asked him how often he serviced the hydros. To which he in all seriousness asked They can be serviced.
I took that to be a statement of how well they would hold up.
I took the money I saved and did some upgrades.
Vevor seat suspension
Bagger
Better tires
Air cleaner was free just had to make the mount and put a Uni in place of the cap.
Lights and switches.
Forgive the dirt and dust and the cats.

 

[Milo]

It's great having a couple cats to help out in the garage!